SEISMIC IMPACTS AND ANOMALOUS ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR: AN EXAMPLE OF THE SEPTEMBER 21, 2020, Mw 5.5 BYSTRAYA EARTHQUAKE IN THE SOUTHERN BAIKAL REGION
© 2021 Ya.B. Radziminovich1, 2 *, A.V. Novopashina1, O.F. Lukhneva1
1
Institute
of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of
Sciences,
Irkutsk, Russia
2
Baikal
Branch of the Federal Research Center «Geophysical
Survey of Russian Academy
of Sciences»,
Irkutsk, Russia
*e-mail: ian@crust.irk.ru
Abstract. In this article we consider the animal behaviour caused by seismic impact of the September 21, 2020, Mw 5.5 Bystraya earthquake in the Southern Baikal region. This rather strong seismic event made it possible to get significantly more data on macroseismic effects than it was previously possible. The information was obtained using the web-questionnaire posted on the web-site of the Baikal Branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences. A total of 3012 questionnaires were collected, 1169 (42.71 %) messages out of the total contain information about the behaviour of animals before, during and after the earthquake. There is a wide variety of domestic animals mentioned in eyewitness reports; however, the reports on dogs, cats and parrots are the most representative and statistically significant. Analysis of the collected data allows us to assess the ratio of animals which are sensitive and insensitive to the earthquake and to determine the main types of seismically-induced anomalous animal activity. Unusual behaviour was noted in the period from several hours to several minutes before the quake; wherein, the number of the reports on the animal reaction prior to the seismic event noticeably exceeds the statistical error. The most pronounced reaction of animals was observed directly at the moment of the earthquake. The animal reaction acquired an explicit character at the shaking intensity IV on the MSK-64 scale; this intensity can be considered as the threshold value. We also assume that the animal response to the seismic impact may depend on the presence of a low-frequency underground hum during an earthquake. Our research is the first experience in analysing animal behaviour due to seismic shakings for the Southern Baikal region and can be useful for identifying short-term earthquake precursors.
Keywords: unusual animal behaviour, earthquake, macroseismic data, Southern Baikal region.
About the authors
RADZIMINOVICH Yan Borisovich – Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Russia, 664033, Irkutsk, Lermontova st., 128; Baikal Branch of Federal Research Center «Geophysical Survey of Russian Academy of Sciences». Russia, 664033, Irkutsk, Lermontova st., 128. E-mail: ian@crust.irk.ru
NOVOPASHINA Anna Vladimirovna – Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Russia, 664033, Irkutsk, Lermontova st., 128. E-mail: avn_crust@mail.ru
LUKHNEVA Olga Fedorovna – Institute of the Earth’s Crust, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Russia, 664033, Irkutsk, Lermontova st., 128. E-mail: olgal@crust.irk.ru
Cite this article as: Radziminovich Ya.B., Novopashina A.V., Lukhneva O.F. Seismic impacts and anomalous animal behaviour: An example of the September 21, 2020, Mw 5.5 Bystraya earthquake in the Southern Baikal region, Geofizicheskie Protsessy i Biosfera (Geophysical Processes and Biosphere), 2021, vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 61–75 (in Russian). https://doi.org/10.21455/gpb2021.3-4
English version: Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics, 2021, vol. 57, iss.10. ISSN: 0001-4338 (Print), 1555-628X (Online). https://link.springer.com/journal/volumesAndIssues/11485